Posts in: travel

A blue heron in a sea of blue, as seen at the Calvert Cliffs beach.

A lonely great blue heron standing in water under a clear blue sky.

Thomas Jefferson built this plantation and called it Monticello — “little mountain”. Note the difference in size, proportion and style between this, a real mansion, and a McMansion.

A view of Monticello from across the front lawn.

You may not be able to tell, but there is a mound of (Waiola!) shaved ice under these red beans, and it is all delicious.

A paper bowl with a pile of read beans covered in syrup.

Behold, the Maryland state flag — one of the best in the Union — and state flower on top of the Maryland state desert, the Smith Island (birthday) cake. Best of all, this was a birthday we celebrated while on Smith Island.

A birthday cake with chocolate glazing, two (plastic) black-eyed Susans and a (paper) Maryland state flag placed on top.

The iguana on the right was in a bad mood: moments later it slapped the other one with its tail. So much for hanging out.

Two iguanas on a tropical beach, facing the water. One is approaching the other from the left.

On a Caribbean island, even the view from an outhouse is approaching transcendence. Especially the view from an outhouse.

A narrow window from a dark room looks onto a rocky beach and a crystal-clear turquoise sea under a clear blue sky.

Who is the flaneur here?

Six people waiting at a crosswalk, five in street clothes, the sixth in a colorful festive dress.

The Las Vegas travel guide for families: come for the chocolates, stay for the surrounding cactus garden.

As an aside, is there anything more American than being so bored in retirement that you start a new business which 20 years later gets sold back to your old company?

A variety of short cacti in front of the “Ethel M Chocolates” factory.

As tall as they all are, Honolulu’s skyscrapers still respect the sky.

Honolulu skyline as seen from the elevated National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

We had great hopes for the Dole plantation on Oahu, being great fans of their pineapple soft serve. Alas, it was a pure tourist trap.

The train ride was the only good part: the soothing sounds of the engine combined with the rocking and the outdoor breeze led to the best nap I’ve ever had.

Small, bright yellow train labeled “Pineapple Express”